Big News: What Happened Between Israel and Iran?
Recently, there was a big conflict between two countries in the Middle East: Israel and Iran. Here’s what happened, explained for you:
How Did The Fighting Start?
On June 13, Israel launched a large military operation called “Operation Rising Lion”. Israel carried out a surprise strike against Iran using drones and more than 200 aircraft, targeting nuclear facilities and other key military sites across Iran. A number of military installations were also struck, reportedly resulting in the deaths of several Iranian military leaders and some nuclear scientists. Thousands of people had to abandon their homes and flee Iran. This triggered 11 days of missiles being fired between both countries.
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Why Did Israel Attack Iran?
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the recent military strikes targeted Iran’s attempts to build a nuclear bomb. He said that Iran was a threat to “Israel’s very survival“. Iran, for its part, has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity. US President Donald Trump ordered Iran to surrender and agree to stop its nuclear programme, but Iran refused.
How Did Iran Respond?
Following Israel’s attack, Iran launched strikes of its own against Israel. Iran also called on other countries around the world to condemn – or criticise – Israel. Iran has also blamed the US for supporting Israel’s attack.
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The US Military Strikes Against Iran
On June 22, the US, which is a close ally of Israel, launched military strikes in Iran, attacking three nuclear sites in Iran. Speaking in a televised speech from the White House, US President Donald Trump called the operation a “spectacular military success” and warned that Iran should make peace or face “far greater” attacks. Following the strikes President Trump said: “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated“.
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Iran’s Response to US Military Strikes
In response to the US attacks, Iran launched an attack on Al Udeid, a large US military base in Qatar. The base, which is home to roughly 10,000 soldiers, is used by several countries, including the US and Qatar. Iran’s attack did very little damage and injured no one.
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Ceasefire
A few days later the three countries agreed to a ceasefire, which appears to be holding for now. A ceasefire is an agreement between the countries to pause fighting. It was announced by US President Donald Trump on June 24. However, the situation was still very tense.
What are Nuclear Weapons?
Nuclear weapons are enormously powerful explosives. They get their energy from splitting or joining tiny particles inside an atom. Nuclear bombs can be more powerful than even the biggest non-nuclear bombs. The explosions they produce are so powerful that just one nuclear bomb can destroy a large city.